text:
It is no secret that Americans pay some of the highest prices for pharmaceutical drugs in the world. And, while the Affordable Care Act will help maybe 50 million uninsured Americans secure health insurance, that law will have no effect on the overall price of medication.
Soaring drug prices are likely the result of a variety of problems, such as inefficiencies in drug manufacturing and the high standard of research applied to each medication sold, but also result from simple price gouging and the tactics of trade groups such as PhRMA – a lobbying organization with an income of over $200 million in 2010.
This new bill, called “Personal Drug Importation Fairness Act of 2013,” proposed in the US House of Representatives and sponsored by Keith Ellison (D-MN), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), would allow individuals in the US to import drugs from “Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, South Africa, and countries in the European Union, since these are believed to have safety standards comparable to the US”, reports Ed Silverman of Forbes.
And this isn’t, we should note, a new idea. Already this past year, the state of Maine passed a law allowing its citizens to import drugs from internet pharmacies in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Of course, this law received immediate push-back from PhRMA and other trade groups in lawsuits that alleged such laws circumvent FDA scrutiny and as such (are illegal and) place Americans at risk.
Ignoring the fact that it’s a little insulting to those countries – declaring that their drug safety standards are too low for American bodies, it seems that it might be a little more unhealthy for Americans to be starved of essential medications due to cost prohibition.
All of that is moot anyway, for in response to those allegations concerning the Maine law, the FDA claimed it will only allow the import of medications it has already approved.
Ed Silverman quotes the new bill’s Minnesota sponsor Keith Ellison as stating the bill will “‘allow Americans to spend more time focusing on their health and less time worrying about how they’ll pay for their prescriptions’”.
Of course, whether or not this bill will get off the ground has yet to be seen. I hope it does.


text:
The European Union aims to be climate neutral by 2050, no longer contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. It’s an immense goal but one that falls in line with their global climate action under the Paris Agreement. Annually, the aviation sector pumps one billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. That’s three percent of the world’s total carbon dioxide emissions. For the past few years, more than $7 billion has been injected into the aeronautics industry to support start-up companies looking to advance greener technology in the sky. The technology is called eVTOL, electric vertical take-off, and landing. This technology has started a wave of innovation that will eventually ground fuel-based flight. Electric aviation is the future of flight.
Will Electric Planes Ever Happen?
European countries aren’t waiting for the electric planes. While the United States toyed with the unsuccessful use of sustainable aviation fuels, several European countries began banning short flights (less than 250 miles). For example, France, whose robust train system can provide a quick commute, eliminated short-haul flights which account for roughly 12% of their domestic air travel. Spain, Germany, and nations throughout Scandinavia are also considering similar legislation.
Meanwhile, nearly 200 global companies are pursuing electric plane projects. What they are finding is that the short routes will launch quicker. Boing, Airbus, NASA, and Toyota are already rolling out 2- to 4-person planes for corporate and air taxi flights. United, American Airlines, Virgin, and Japan Airlines have all ordered these small planes with plans to put them in service by 2024. This “air taxi” service is meant for big cities to solve commuter issues caused by hours-long backups on local highways. The longer flights will take more time.
Billions of Dollars in Development
While the short-trip planes begin to take to the skies, there is no lack of funding for private research and development. The latest marriage between Pipistrel and Textron is revealing a slew of green possibilities for air travel. Remember those startups? They’ve provided the technology that can now be transferred onto the larger airbus. But don’t put your trays in the upright position yet. There are still plenty of kinks to work out before the coast-to-coast electric flight can take off. From the weight to the capacity, electric batteries are still a major roadblock.
Other Advantages of Electric Planes
Pipistrel and Textron are rolling out three types of planes that will help the entire airline industry. The Electro is the world’s first commercially type certified aircraft. It is designed to help flight schools. This electric plane will lower the cost of training, improve safety and reduce noise issues at airports. Look for the Panthera to help you beat the rush hour in LA and New York. The four-seater will be used in the private aviation market. Finally, the Nuuva V300 is an unmanned, hybrid-electric aircraft that could reduce the cost of cargo shipments coast-to-coast.
Beyond the obvious advantage of these green planes, for the customer, the cost of a flight will become less expensive. Although most of us will not see the electric advantage for, at least, a decade, once the electric airplanes begin to launch in hubs around the country, we will see relief in our wallets. This sounds like an innovation worth waiting for!

domain: news


text:
Given the speed at which this pandemic-driven cycle has played out, two years ago seems like a distant memory. The buzzword in the spring of 2020 was "unprecedented," a term to describe a whole host of things, like the misses of consensus economic forecasts and the price of oil in the futures market (negative $37 — remember that?). We propose that the official buzzword of 2022 should be "inconvenient."
While our thoughts are with Ukrainians fighting for their freedom or living abroad as war refugees, we turn to address the timing of Russia's invasion and how it presents a whole host of inconveniences for the global economy. It is inconvenient that Europe in general, and Germany in particular, rely so heavily on Russian oil and gas, and that in turn, Russia invests the proceeds of those sales back into European government bonds. It is inconvenient that the time it takes to transition from fossil fuel-centric infrastructure for electricity generation, heating, and manufacturing output toward less carbon intensity is best measured in years, not weeks or months. It is inconvenient for Europe, Africa, and Asia that Russia and Ukraine together supply almost a quarter of the world's wheat output. It is inconvenient for central banks that monetary policy is generally ineffective at dealing with supply-side-driven inflation without crushing demand. It is inconvenient for the corporate sector that supply chain constraints and wages are not easing. It is inconvenient for asset markets that central banks are beginning a new tightening cycle when financial assets are richly valued and households have their highest exposure to equities in history. If the Covid-19 pandemic has not ended the Great Moderation — the decline in volatility of macroeconomic data and the longer, more moderate business cycles the world experienced since 1982 — these combined inconveniences will end it, we believe.
Big stakes in stocks
The high average equity allocation of U.S. households makes it a bad time for a policy error
Source: Federal Reserve Economic Data, St. Louis Federal Reserve. The Fed's flow of funds equity allocation measure is our preferred long-term valuation tool.
Perhaps most important for financial markets is the fact that it is extremely inconvenient for policymakers that this cycle and macroeconomic data are progressing at such high velocity, making decision-making even more difficult than usual. There is no better illustration of the resulting confusion than the current popular views expressed regarding the state of household wealth and consumer behavior. The narrative goes something like this: "Thanks to all the direct pandemic stimulus and the robust labor market, U.S. households are in fantastic shape as evidenced by high aggregate savings levels relative to the previous trend."
The problem with looking at aggregate numbers is that, by mathematical definition, it becomes solely an assessment of the upper tier of the wealth and income distribution. And while, yes, that cohort drives an outsized share of total consumption, markets care about what happens at the margin, and the second derivative matters. To highlight these issues, we have recently been intrigued by the unusual dispersion between the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index and The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index. Historically, they have been very highly correlated, but since the summer of 2021, that relationship has broken down. One explanation is that The Conference Board's measure is more focused on labor market developments, and so is merely reflecting the happy state of affairs for the average worker enjoying an abundance of job openings and rising wages, whereas the more wide-ranging University of Michigan survey is being tarnished by the spike in inflation, which is proving to be quite un-transitory.
Hand in hand no more
Consumer confidence and consumer sentiment surveys have diverged by an historic amount in the past year
Sources: University of Michigan; The Conference Board.
Normally, this kind of consumer survey data (what some refer to as "soft" data) tends to have less impact on markets, which care more about what people do rather than what they say. As such, we were somewhat surprised at the results of our recent research focused on finding good leading indicators of actual consumption. The single best measure we found to predict real personal consumption expenditures 6 and 12 months in the future was the portion of respondents from the University of Michigan survey saying that now is a bad time to purchase large household durable items. Changes in this measure explain 60% and 36% of the 6-month and 12-month forward changes in real personal consumption expenditures (PCE), respectively. The February reading of this measure was the worst in this survey's history going back to 1978, with almost 60% of respondents saying that now was a bad time for large durable purchases. It seems likely that some combination of the pull-forward in spending that occurred with pandemic-related stimulus and the substantial uptick in inflation will combine to sap the spending power of U.S. households in 2022.
What they say and what they do
After the Covid pandemic recovery caused an historic spike in spending, consumers may cut back in coming months
Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis; University of Michigan.
This is all happening at a time when the Fed has now revealed a reaction function that prioritizes price stability over economic growth (at least for the moment) when these two pillars of the mandate are in conflict. Recent post-Fed-meeting speeches have cleared the way for beginning to move the policy rate in half-point increments, in hopes of getting to "neutral" quickly, and then to begin the process of quantitative tightening shortly thereafter. This path suggests the strike price of the "Fed put," which has historically put a floor under risk asset prices, is uncomfortably far away. While an actual recession in the U.S. is not currently a base-case scenario, the risks of that outcome have risen substantially in the first quarter. An S&P 500 Index that is barely 5% off all-time highs does not properly reflect that risk. We advocate caution over the next few months while these inconvenient dynamics play out.


text:
Nigerian Shippers’ Council
Importers, agents groan under 400% hike in cost of container haulage
It was a sharp rise that caught everyone unawares. The agents and importers never thought that the impact of bad road infrastructure and disorderliness at the ports will suddenly dwell on them such that the cost of transporting consignments from the Lagos ports complex to other parts of Nigeria ....
Shippers’ Council charts path to workers’ welfare
For Nigerian employees to meet future financial challenges, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, has enjoined workers to embrace co-operative...
‘Sector’s operators need unambiguous laws’
For Nigeria to keep pace with the global standard in trade facilitation, the need for the Federal Government to simplify and avoid ambiguous laws in the maritime sector has been stressed. In view of this, stakeholders in the maritime industry have therefore called for the establishment of a strategic compliance management committee to monitor and…
Nigerian Shippers’ Council sheds litigations burden
It was a big sigh of relief for the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), as the ports economic regulator scaled through two weighty litigations against Seaports Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), and the shipping companies in separate judgments.
Nigeria’s first dry port comes on stream tomorrow
Succour may have come the way of importers and exporters in the North Western part of the country, as President Muhammadu Buhari is set to commission Nigeria’s first Inland Dry Port in Kaduna, tomorrow.
Shippers’ Council harps on blue economy
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), has restated its commitment to the realisation of the blue economy agenda, in line with the economic diversification policy of the Federal Government.
Shippers’ Council to deploy electronic gadgets for efficient cargo handling
To ease the process of cargo handling in and outside the ports, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), has unveiled plans to deploy new electronic gadgets and facilities...
Shippers Council shops for investors for TTP projects
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has commenced arrangements to shop for qualified investors to flag off its ultra modern Truck Transit Park (TTP) initiative across the country.


text:
Recreational vehicle maker Jayco, Inc. will break ground for its newest factory in Twin Falls next week. Jayco, which is part of Thor Industries, Inc., will begin construction of a 235,000 square foot factory next to the existing building just off of Hankins Road
A recreational vehicle manufacturer announced plans to expand its operation in the Magic Valley. Jayco, Inc., which has been building camp trailers in Twin Falls since 2005, will expand the plant to better their service to dealers in the country and Canada
More than 60 employers will be at a job fair in the Treasure Valley hoping to recruit candidates to fill job openings. The Idaho Department of Labor announced the Made Here! Expo and Job Fair at the Ford Idaho Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Wednesday.


text:
This article is more than 1 year old
Bun fight breaks out after devs, techie jump ship: Bakery biz Panera sues its former IT crowd
Lawsuits fly as sandwich shop chain grills ex-programmers, system analyst
If you were to list the top five reasons why sandwich shop chain Panera has been so successful, with over 2,000 bakeries across the US and Canada, it's unlikely that its IT team would make the cut.
But, according to the company itself, its IT function is not just a key ingredient but its "most important asset."
That claim appears in a lawsuit [PDF] lodged this month in Missouri by the bread biz against three of its former employees who, it claims, are trying to "recreate and carve out Panera’s main competitive advantage, but without any of the work."
That's right, James Dobson, Krish Gopalakrishnan, and Kyle Phillips are being sued for alleged breach of contract and unlawful use of Panera's confidential and proprietary information and trade secrets.
The three of them decided to quit Panera after being offered jobs at a new company run by Panera's former CEO, Ron Shaich, called, currently, Act III.
Shaich then sued Panera for alleged breach of contract. As part of his departure agreement last year, Panera had apparently agreed to allow its employees to move to his new businesses. He argued in his lawsuit that the company had forced employees to sign non-compete contracts that went against his agreement with the biz.
Three days after that lawsuit was lodged, Panera fired back, suing its former employees and Shaich's new company for alleged breach of agreement and accusing them of trying to steal trade secrets.
Which of course raises the question: what kind of critical trade secrets exist in a baking industry and why is the IT team such a key part of that?
Baking bread is not exactly a cutting-edge activity; it first started at least 30,000 years ago. But according to rather a lot of techno-mumbo-jumbo in the lawsuit, the IT systems introduced at Panera cafes are the secret sauce in a highly competitive market.
"Panera prides itself on being several steps ahead of the game in developing its technological systems," the company notes, arguing that they "ultimately drive a guest's experience with Panera." Then there is "Panera 2.0" – no, seriously.
"In approximately 2011, Panera unveiled its vision for 'Panera 2.0,' which consists of enhanced to-go and eat-in options enabled by a series of integrated technologies. 'Panera 2.0' is an integrated, comprehensive, end-to-end solution that aims to reduce wait times, improve order accuracy, minimize or eliminate crowding, and create a more personalized experience."
This system "enables Panera to keep up with high transaction volumes and unrestrained production demands, and thus has enhanced the guest experience," according to the lawsuit.
Still none the wiser? Maybe this will help: "Panera made substantial investments initiating and implementing various digital and technology strategies and systems, including systems for digital ordering, digital payment, enhanced technology-based kitchen display systems and food production systems, digitally-based cafe management systems, master data management systems and quality assurance systems." Which in plain English means: we made our ordering system simple.
But the real kicker finally arrives in this paragraph: "Panera understood that there was an opportunity to create value for shareholders and to lower overall service costs for Panera's cafes, by commercializing the technology for other restaurants."
Ah. What that means is: we figured out a system that means we have to hire fewer staff by getting customers to order their own food. And it works without driving everyone completely nuts.
And while that may sound ridiculous, you only have to experience the new ordering console that McDonalds has introduced into some of its restaurants to see how even a hyper-efficient food company can get things really, really wrong when it comes to consumer-ordering tech. The cost of staff in restaurants is probably the largest single overheard, so cutting it means more money in the bank.
It turns out that Dobson, Gopalakrishnan, and Phillips are the fast-food tech super chefs: Dobson is a Java engineer; Gopalakrishnan a mobile app specialist; and Phillips a systems analyst. Together they are The Mighty Sandwich Latency Munchers.
Recipe for success
The lawsuit goes into extraordinary detail about each person and their role. We learn for example that Dobson chose the software for the front and back-of-house, including the sales terminals, the displays in the kitchen, and the stock and management software that makes sure cafes get the optimal amount of fresh food without running out, or ordering too much and letting it spoil.
Then there's the "system schematics, system design flows, architectural approach notes, and systems service-oriented approach standards, not to mention Panera’s technology pricing and sourcing strategies. It is impossible to quantify the value of Panera’s best practices related to these systems."
The company even goes on about how much effort it puts into making sure none of its IT secrets are stolen: "Panera employs a team of information security personnel whose jobs are dedicated to preventing the unauthorized access and release of Panera’s trade secrets, proprietary data, and intellectual property. Panera also encrypts all of the hard drives in the computers it uses and requires that employees use regularly updated passwords to access these computers."
So it seems that nerds truly do rule the modern world. A world where even one of the oldest industries in the history of mankind – providing food to people – is dependent on IT folk.
There is, of course, an alternative explanation. It could just be that Panera is regretting its decision to allow its former CEO to poach employees, especially after he appears to have become adept at it, and so is making out that every single people he grabs to start up his new business is incredibly important to its business. And that's why they were made to sign non-compete contracts.
That is more than possible. But we like the idea of admins ruling the world, so we'll stick with the concept of tech-heads as business breakers and makers. ®


text:
Sony Expects PS5 Sales to Begin Outpacing PS4 by End of 2023
It has high hopes for the console.
Sony expects PlayStation 5 sales to begin outpacing the PS4 by the end of 2023 as it gets back on track following component shortages that plagued hardware production last year.
Shared in a business presentation, Sony compared the PS5's sales with the PS4's at this stage in its life cycle and said it expects the PS5 to catch up with the PS4 by August 2023 and begin to exceed its sales by December.
The PS5 outsold its predecessor in its first year on the market but sales declined due to the component shortage that was only declared over in January 2023. Sony has since ramped up the number of PS5 consoles it's shipping considerably, more than doubling 2022's numbers in most months this year so far to meet what it's calling "unprecedented demand".
The presentation also revealed that the PS5 is projected to begin outpacing the PS4 in all of Sony's key metrics by February 2024. These include console user spend, full game unit sales, gameplay hours, monthly active users, and monthly active consoles.
It joins the PlayStation VR2 as well performing Sony hardware, as the company revealed that it's also outpacing its predecessor having sold close to 600,000 units in its first six weeks on the market.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.


text:
Episode four is here, and it’s just in time for the launch of Apple’s new music streaming service, Apple Music.
Apple Music launches Tuesday, and we’re taking a deep dive into what the app will mean for the industry. We look back at Apple’s prosperous relationship with music, from the first iPod ad through to last month’s WWDC keynote and launch announcement. We’ve got a ton of great guests. Josh Friedlander of the RIAA chats with us about the emergence of the streaming industry, and artist manager Emily White gives us a view into Apple’s relationship with artists. Dick Huey of the Toolshed marketing agency sheds light on what stats to watch in the wake of Apple Music’s launch, and David Pakman sits down for an insightful chat about what success will look like for Apple Music.


text:
- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
Time: 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Place: Westin St. Francis
Send this story to a friend
Samsung’s Galaxy S III passes Apple iPhone 4S as best-selling phone
- Staff San Francisco Business Times
Samsung Electronic Co.’s Galaxy S III outsold Apple Inc.'s iPhone 4S globally in the third quarter, according to the research firm Strategy Analytics.
The firm reports that Samsung sold 18 million of the phones during the period, compared with 16.2 million iPhone 4S units shipped by Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL).
That lead is expected to return to Apple, however, as the company's iPhone 5 hits the market.
Read more at Apple Insider.
- Senior Director of Development for the College of Business San Francisco State University | San Francisco, CA
- Senior Director of Development for Corporate and Foundation Relations San Francisco State University | San Francisco, CA
- Bilingual (Spanish) Sales Representative Aflac | San Francisco, CA
- Director of Finance for Leading Finance and Accounting Firm Propeller Industries, LLC | San Francisco, CA
- UI/UX Director Apttus | San Mateo, CA
- Most popular
- Google unveils 'modular' Project Ara smartphone
- Marc Benioff: The most influential man in San Francisco
- Brian Spiers to turn vacant Home restaurant into 64 apartments
- Best Places to Work 2014
- Scarcity fuels San Francisco condo craze
- Sale of SoMa MacDonald's site could set records
- Lennar Multifamily advances on three Bay Area projects
- Ad mogul Gurbaksh "G" Chahal pleads guilty to two misdemeanors
- Berkeley checks out highrise hotel
- Lending Club has big news coming Thursday: Will it be the IPO?
Email Newsletter Signup
A look at the day's business stories from media outlets around San Francisco


text:
Tecno Introduces New Budget-Friendly Addition to Spark Lineup: Spark 20
Tecno has unveiled the latest addition to its Spark lineup, the Spark 20. While pricing and availability details are yet to be revealed, the complete specifications of the device have been listed on Tecno’s global website.
The Spark 20 features a 6.6-inch IPS LCD with HD+ resolution and an impressive 90Hz refresh rate. Furthermore, the device comes with a punch-hole cutout for its 32MP front-facing camera, as well as a Dynamic Port which displays notifications and system status info around the cutout.
Under the hood, the Spark 20 is powered by a Helio G85 chipset, coupled with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage which can be expanded via the microSD card slot. The device also boasts a 50MP main camera, AI lens, and dual LED flash sensors on the back.
On the software front, the Spark 20 runs on HiOS based on Android 13. Additionally, the device is equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery with support for 18W charging, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a headphone jack, and IP53 ingress protection.
Color options for the Tecno Spark 20 include Gravity Black, Cyber White, Neon Gold, and Magic Skin Blue. It is anticipated that pricing and availability details will be announced soon.
The introduction of the Spark 20 demonstrates Tecno’s commitment to providing budget-friendly options with high-performance features in its smartphone lineup. For more information, visit the official Tecno website.


text:
Here's a recent article from Mike Voss. I hope you get to visit us this holiday season Mike. So far New York is turning out to be as warm as Washington.
"Give my regards to Broadway — and Zabar’s"
By Mike Voss from Washington Daily News
If I ever move to New York, I know exactly where I want to live – above Zabar’s.
Zabar’s is at the intersection of Broadway and 80th Street. Calling Zabar’s a specialty grocery store is like calling the Grand Canyon a ditch.
A true Zabar’s experience demands a visit to its aisles, nooks and crannies. You can make that visit anytime — Zabar’s is open each day of the year. Don’t be surprised to see Santa Claus there late Christmas morning as he picks up a few groceries to take back to the North Pole.
Read the entire article.


text:
More record numbers for the ICO (Initial Coin Offering) of K-Tune, a project that brings together the world of music and that of the blockchain by allowing the monetisation of new songs, created by both musicians and producers.
In this respect, blockchain technology protects copyright and will provide musicians with the opportunity to monetise their works, without going through record labels and other intermediaries that, in the traditional world, take a high percentage of revenues.
Being a Korean project, the musical genre most promoted by the platform is K-Pop, but in reality K-Tune is open to all types of music.
As is known, the ICO was launched on Eidoo’s platform, Eidoo Crowd, and thanks to it K-Tune has now collected 12020 Ethereum (ETH), including off-chain investment equivalent to more than 2 million dollars, thus surpassing the soft cap.
The ICO will run until November 30th and is already at 28% of the collection.
It’s definitely a great result given the rather bearish period of the market and the fact that the ICO of K-Tune was launched only two weeks ago.
The project involves the creation of a platform that allows uploading or downloading new songs. The target are artists who need to promote a song or a record.
K-Tune will also launch a sort of e-commerce within the platform for purchasing artists’ merchandise.
Worth noting is that everything will make use of the K-Tune token, KTT, which will be the currency of the platform for payments or the purchase of goods and services, hence a pure utility token.
At the end of the ICO, KTT will be listed on several exchanges, although it is not yet possible to reveal their names. As for the platform, the development is almost complete at 90%.
Currently the K-tune platform is in beta version, but it is already possible to register using email and password.


text:
China should adapt its traditional industries to the development of modern society to meet the changing domestic demands, Premier Li Keqiang stressed at the State Council executive meeting on Nov 4.
The meeting decided to stabilize industrial growth, optimize its structure and improve the efficiency of enterprises to transform and upgrade the country’s industry.
“The changing R&D, production and sales modes of traditional industries boosted by the strategies of ‘Internet Plus’ and ‘mass innovation and entrepreneurship’ are expected to trigger a ‘new Industrial Revolution’,” the Premier said.
He said that China’s “Internet Plus” strategy is developing fast in the consumption field, and it should also step up promoting the transformation and upgrade of traditional industries.
In the past two months, how to promote the transformation and upgrade of traditional industries and the “Made in China 2025” strategy has been the main concerns of the Premier.
During his official visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK) from Oct 31 to Nov 2, Premier Li visited an economic innovation center in Gyeonggi-do, which was set up by the ROK government and the large enterprises there to support the newly established small and micro enterprises.
“The large companies not only connect with the micro enterprises through the Internet, but also pay for the latter’s innovative ideas, and that is innovation achieved with outside help,” said the Premier at the meeting.
The Premier reached an agreement with ROK President Park Geun-hye to build an innovation cooperation platform for enterprises and individuals from both countries, and link China’s “Made in China 2025” with the ROK’s “Manufacturing Innovation 3.0”, and China’s “mass entrepreneurship and innovation” with the ROK’s “innovative economy”.
He said at the meeting that Germany’s “Industry 4.0” strategy was also aimed at connecting large companies with small enterprises through the Internet and achieving transformation and upgrade with the help of outside powers. Premier Li met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to China on Oct 26.
“It proves that ‘Internet Plus’ and ‘mass innovation and entrepreneurship’ not only can be used in the service sector, but also is fit for upgrade and transformation of traditional industries,” the Premier said.
He also praised the technicians at Luoyang Mining Machinery Group and recognized their efforts to seek solutions through the Internet, while visiting Henan province on Sept 23.
And he also stressed that innovation was the engine for enterprises and open cooperation was the enterprises’ choice, while paying a visit to Jianghuai Automobile Corporation in Hefei, Anhui province, on Oct 30.


text:
According to the Daily Mail, which has seen an email exchange between the UK Anti Doping Agency and Farah's representatives, Farah missed one test in 2010 and another in early 2011 shortly after he had joined Salazar's training group in Oregon.christian louboutin outlet florida locations you wouldn't dream of leaving a family member at home, and luckily for you, with a holiday on The Suffolk Coast, your four legged friend can come along too. Our findings show that, despite the ban and initial decline in environmental contamination, PCBs still persist at dangerously high levels in European cetaceans, explained Dr Jepson.
For further details and information about tailored stress management programmes for the workplace or information about Laughter Yoga and laughter training please contact us. Friend TV ad Online ad Magazine ad Radio ad Football sponsorship Taxi ad Press article Search engine Another website Estate agent Other Please specify I wish to receive information from Homes24 or selected partners. Natural foods win consumer vote for health By Nicholas Robinson+ Natural products with intrinsic benefits are healthier than food and drink reformulated to be more nutritious, according to consumer research.
Also includes a sitting area and floor to ceiling glass doors that open to a private balcony with a great view.discount christian louboutin online store 800-592 Now, the article appears to be making its umpteenth lap around the internet (wish I had a nickel for each time it has been re posted somewhere) only this time one of the unauthorized editors of it decided it would be better if I was identified as a USMC Sergeant Major. News and Entertainment Arizona Highways Blog Best of the Web Today Daily Breeze Front Page Daily News Sun Day By Day Cartoon Fox News NewsBusters Patriot Headline Report Patriot Update Politico The Patriot Post The Wickenburg Sun ZooBorns Shopping Amazon 29 queries.


text:
Consumers want brands to take concrete measures addressing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a reflection of growing public awareness of the influence companies wield over major global events and widespread concern over the conflict. Despite these expectations, marketers should not rush to wave their flag around a situation that is fast-moving and highly sensitive — though many organizations may have already learned that lesson following two years marked by society-wide crises.
Still, the marketing industry is taking action. Already, a number of marketers and service providers have cut back or stopped doing business in Russia while industry event Cannes Lions said it will exclude Russians from this year's festival. In one of the most substantial developments for the advertising industry, agency giant WPP said Friday it plans to discontinue operations in Russia. The group has about 1,400 employees in the country.
"Everybody's in a big emotional place," said Kate Muhl, vice president analyst at Gartner's marketing practice. "The messages that they are looking for are: Support for people in Ukraine, peace, and to some degree, resources. But [talking about] what you specifically are doing, it's just too soon."
A survey Gartner conducted found that most U.S. respondents were concerned about the Ukraine crisis, with eight in 10 naming at least one step they would like to see marketers take. At the top of the list was reconsidering doing business in Russia or with Russian partners, cited by 60%. Other leading recommendations included ensuring the safety of personnel in regions embroiled in the fighting (55%), minimizing disruptions that could affect product supply and pricing (46%) and preparing emergency measures in case the U.S. is more directly impacted (46%). Sixteen percent of consumers said they don't think brands should do anything in regards to Ukraine. Gartner polled 281 consumers between Feb. 25 and March 1 for its research.
"We now have mainstream consumers who have awareness of the idea of corporate governance, supply chain operations," said Muhl. "That awakening, I think we see it applied here."
Lower on the ranking of desired responses were brands donating aid (31%), making a public statement (13%) and pausing or pulling back on marketing activity (11%) — tactics that all fall much closer to the CMO purview. Weaker demand for traditional communications combined with a clear pressure to take some sort of meaningful action puts marketers in a bit of a bind in the near term, but they should still be strategizing for a moment where receptiveness to consumer-facing messaging is higher.
"It's tricky, because you've got to be able to tell people about the things you're doing at a time when they say that they want you to do those things more than they want you to talk about those things," said Muhl.
The current focus on practical measures, including safeguarding employees in Ukraine, is indicative of a larger shift in what consumers perceive as effective action from brands, according to Muhl.
The idea that corporations are more capable of enacting change than individuals and even governments has taken hold over several years, notably around issues like climate change. It came even further to the forefront first with the pandemic and then mass protests for racial justice in the U.S. in 2020. Both instances served as examples of a paradigm shift where consumers applied greater scrutiny to brands, with many companies finding out the hard way that they had to live up to the standards shared in their marketing internally or face backlash.
A similar principle applies to the Ukraine conflict, while carrying different nuances.
"The fact that wanting messages is so far down the list does make it different than what we saw with [Black Lives Matter] and what we saw with COVID," said Muhl of the Gartner research. "That doesn't mean it will always be that way."
"If we have, say, Russia, unleashing cyberattacks that have a direct impact on Americans, you're in a whole different ball game," she added.
But if the biggest agenda item consumers have for now is brands reconsidering doing business in Russia, then many seem to be meeting the moment. Netflix, Ikea, Ford, Apple and Disney are among the consumer brands that have started to peel back Russian operations. Services providers like Accenture, BCG and McKinsey are similarly making a swift exit from the country.
Exclusionary tactics are also becoming common. Cannes Lions, advertising's most significant awards festival, announced in a statement it would not accept submissions or delegations from Russian groups this year. It will waive charges for Ukrainian creatives in attendance and refund those who cannot make the show.
There are more extreme cases as well. Some establishments are dumping out what they believe to be Russian vodka — even though few spirits sold in the U.S. are actually distilled there — or renaming menu items like Moscow Mules and White Russians to be Ukrainian-themed, summoning the specter of the "Freedom fries" push that emerged in the U.S. after France declined to participate in the Iraq war.
Whether or not these are just moves for companies to make is debatable. What's not up for debate is that CMOs — and other members of the C-suite — will need to keep a close ear to the ground to be able to adjust course as the situation evolves and avoid a botched communication.
"This is moving very rapidly," said Mulh. "I don't think that it would be wise for marketers to say, therefore, we shouldn't say anything."
Ear to the ground
Closer executive collaboration and transparency, mandates driven by the pandemic, have benefited some brands amid ongoing volatility. They have not necessarily made marketers' jobs any easier, as CMOs must be on the ball with operations outside of their usual remit, including the supply chain and employee welfare.
"That actually can make it more complex because you now have the machine works in place to activate immediately," said Muhl. "You now are agile, and with great power comes great responsibility. You have to be thoughtful: What are my brand's values? Where are my exposures as a brand?"
If and when a stronger consumer-facing platform becomes appropriate, the pandemic carries other lessons as well, according to Muhl.
"What we've learned through COVID is that it's very easy to hit a kind of message fatigue. It's important to recognize that these crises are not experienced in a monolithic way," she said. "There needs to be more than one message and it should be folded into a range of other things that you're saying."


text:
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Just as farmers begin to prepare for the the upcoming fall agritourism season, complete with corn mazes, hay rides and pick-your-own pumpkin patches, a recently released study of the state’s agritourism industry by researchers with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture estimates that the economic impact of agritourism in the state has more than doubled between 2006 and 2012. Visitors to Tennessee agritourism operations in 2012 were estimated to have spent more than $34.4 million directly and more than $54.2 million total when multiplier effects are included in the sum.
Researchers with the UT Agri-Industry and Modeling Group of the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and the Center for Profitable Agriculture have created a new profile of the Tennessee agritourism industry based on survey responses from 171 Tennessee agritourism farms. Results of the study are now available in a report, called A Snapshot of Tennessee Agritourism: 2013 Update, which can be accessed online at http://tiny.utk.edu/ATStudy.
“The results of this study are incredibly exciting and insightful and will be of great use to existing agritourism operators, farmers interested in agritourism and industry partners,” said Megan Bruch, marketing specialist with the Center for Profitable Agriculture.
Because the numbers are based on 2007 Census of Agriculture estimates of 510 agritourism enterprises, Bruch says the study will be re-estimated when 2012 Census data are available. She added, “We expect to see an increase in the number of agritourism operations in the state represented in the 2012 Census, so the economic impact of agritourism in Tennessee very well could be higher than these figures.”
The 110 agritourism operators who reported visitor numbers on the survey estimated they hosted more than 1.75 million people on their farms in 2012. The most common types of activities and attractions at agritourism enterprises who participated in the study were on-farm retail markets, school field trips and tours, event hosting, pick-your-own product operations, wagon rides and other farm tours.
Agritourism operations seem to be part of diversified farming operations. The average number of acres per operation responding was 250 with about 42 of those acres used for agritourism. The average percent of acres owned used for agritourism was 16.8 percent.
Investments by industry partners have garnered results for these enterprises. Nearly 80 percent of operators surveyed used promotional services associated with Pick Tennessee Products, the Tennessee Vacation Guide or Tennessee Farm Fresh. On average, operations reported a 9.3 percent increase in sales in 2012 due to these services. The estimated sales impact for 2012 from these programs for agritourism operators is an increase of more than $5.4 million.
Nearly 63 percent of operators had attended an agritourism educational program offered by the Center for Profitable Agriculture, Tennessee Department of Agriculture and/or Tennessee Farm Fresh in the last three years. On average, operators estimated that these programs influenced their sales in 2012 with an increase of 19.9 percent. The total estimated impact for the industry of educational programs in the last three years is nearly $7.6 million.
Success does not come easy, however, as not all farms that try agritourism are successful. Several survey respondents indicated they had operated an agritourism operation but were no longer in business. The most commonly given reason for not staying in business was the inability to attract enough customers or make enough sales. While marketing and attracting customers are big challenges, other obstacles include working with family, securing capital, meeting regulatory requirements, zoning issues and more.
The study would not have been possible without funding and support from the Tennessee Agritourism Association, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Farm Credit Mid-America, the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, USDA Rural Development and the University of Tennessee.
To learn more about the study and educational resources available for agritourism operators and farmers interested in agriculture, visit the CPA website http://ag.tennessee.edu/cpa or contact Megan Bruch at email@example.com.
The UT Center for Profitable Agriculture is a joint effort of UT Extension and the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation. UT Extension provides a gateway to the University of Tennessee as the outreach unit of the Institute of Agriculture. With an office in every Tennessee county, UT Extension delivers educational programs and research-based information to citizens throughout the state. In cooperation with Tennessee State University, UT Extension works with farmers, families, youth and communities to improve lives by addressing problems and issues at the local, state and national levels.
Megan L. Bruch, UT Center for Profitable Agriculture, 931-486-2777, firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
Fears over the global impact of China’s weakening economy have triggered a horrendous start to 2016 for U.S. stocks. While many stocks are indirectly impacted by China, the fate of MGM Resorts International (MGM) stock is directly tied to China’s Macau gaming market.
After its January swoon and miserable earnings report, Apple Inc. (AAPL) stock is now down about 17% in the past year. It’s been hard for shareholders to watch AAPL stock fall while high-growth tech rivals Alphabet Inc (GOOGL, GOOG), Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) andNetflix, Inc. (NFLX) have all logged 35-90% gains during the same stretch.
In the face of persistent pricing weakness, Credit Suisse is the latest firm to lower its crude oil pricing forecast for 2016 and beyond.
The latest client flow data from Bank of America unveils some unique trends happening in the volatile market. In a new report, analyst Jill Carey breaks down the flow data and what it means for traders.
In a new report, UBS analyst Colin Langan takes a closer look at the bearish trading in the auto industry so far in 2016. According to Langan, most names in the space have already priced in the most bearish potential outcome.
This week’s $14 billion merger between Johnson Controls Inc JCI 1.34% and Tyco International demonstrates that there are certainly still large M&A deals happening in the face of the global economic uncertainty that has produced a shaky opening month for markets in 2016.
In a new post, Slope of Hope contributor Tim Knight points out why he believes Apple Inc. AAPL 0.72% is headed lower following this week’s Q4 earnings report and could eventually dip below $75.
Expectations for the world’s largest public company seem to be relatively low for Apple Inc. AAPL 0.72% standards heading into the company’s Q4 earnings report.
With Apple Inc. AAPL 0.72% set to release Q4 earnings this week, there’s been a growing level of concern in the market about the company’s short-term technical breakdown.
Johnson Controls Inc JCI 1.34% and Tyco International PLC have announced a mega merger that, upon completion, would save the combined company at least $150 million per year on taxes and at least $500 million per year in costs over the first three years.


text:
The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) released a statement emphasizing its projections for the supply of cocoa in future years does not reflect the fear in recent reports that identified a possible cocoa deficit of one million tons by 2020.
ICCO called the reports “overstated in the extreme” in a statement released last week.
Media reports pointed to issues of sustainability, pests and the disadvantaged situations of cocoa farmers as reasons for future supply shortages. ICCO said it seeks to deal with these issues.
During the past 10 years, the cocoa market has experienced five years of production surplus and five years of deficit. ICCCO said the price of cocoa beans is currently below historical median level, but production responds to changes in price.
“Cocoa, like any other agricultural commodity, is a renewable resource, so, when the cocoa price goes up, farmers will be incentivized to produce more cocoa beans by increasing their use of inputs and investing in new plantations,” ICCO stated.
The organization said its current projections indicate no cause for concern throughout the next five years. Though it expects supply deficits to occur in future years, ICCO says cocoa bean stocks should “cushion this development before production growth accelerates.”
ICCO said it will continue to make its projections and forecasts based on the supply situation in cocoa producing countries and will report any significant changes if and when they occur.


text:
The state has extended Covid restrictions till July 1. However, hotels and restaurants can operate with 50 per cent capacity and malls will open with 30 per cent people
West Bengal Lockdown
The state also announced an indefinite restriction on operation of shopping malls, markets, restaurants and bars, and swimming pools.
The State Government has announced stricter restrictions till May 30 where only emergency and essential services have been exempted


text:
BREAKING: Blizzard president J. Allen Brack is leaving the company, Activision Blizzard just told staff. Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra will take over as "co-leaders of Blizzard." Filed to Bloomberg Terminal, story will be live shortly
Blizzard President Allan J. Brack has stepped down after the recent Activision-Blizzard revelations. Activision-Blizzard CEO Kotick continues to stay quiet, internet must be choppy on his third yacht and the money-counter takes up all the bandwidth. investor.activision.com/news-releases/news-release-details/letter-president-and-chief-operating-officer-daniel-alegre
Blizzard's note about president J Allen Brack's departure doesn't mention the misconduct scandals or company failures, but does say new leaders want to "ensure Blizzard is the safest, most welcoming workplace" and focused on "rebuilding your trust" www.axios.com/blizzard-j-allen-brack-scandal-ee2ebbe6-2d79-4d98-bfee-ac1ff9782875.html
A California agency accused executive J. Allen Brack and others at Activision Blizzard of failing to respond to employee complaints of harassment, discrimination and retaliation. $atvi www.wsj.com/articles/activision-replaces-blizzard-head-j-allen-brack-as-it-grapples-with-gender-bias-lawsuit-11627999132
Blizzard President J. Allen Brack Exits Amid Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Lawsuit Against Company
03 August, 2021 - 08:00am
Brack’s exit comes less than two weeks after Activision Blizzard was sued by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which alleged the company’s “pervasive frat boy workplace culture” resulted in women employees being continuously subjected to sexual harassment and being paid less than men. Brack was named in the lawsuit as being among company execs who were allegedly aware of the misconduct and — despite repeatedly being informed of the problems — “failed to take effective remedial measures in response to these complaints.”
Brack “is leaving the company to pursue new opportunities,” Activision Blizzard president and COO Daniel Alegre said in a statement Tuesday. The announcement didn’t address to the scandal currently roiling the company.
In a memo to Blizzard staff in the wake of the California DFEH lawsuit, Brack said the allegations were “troubling,” saying “the fight for equality is incredibly important to me.”
According to the suit, a Blizzard employee complained to Brack in early 2019 that employees were leaving because of sexual harassment and sexism. Specifically, per the DFEH lawsuit, the employee told Brack that women on the Battle.net team were “subjected to disparaging comments, the environment was akin to working in a frat house, and that women who were not ‘huge gamers’ or ‘core gamers’ and not into the party scene were excluded and treated as outsiders.”
Last Tuesday (July 27), Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick promised that the company was taking corrective steps, telling employees in a memo that “we will do a better job of listening now, and in the future. Our initial responses to the issues we face together, and to your concerns, were, quite frankly, tone deaf.” A day later, hundreds of Blizzard employees staged a walkout at the company’s Irvine, Calif., headquarters to protest the alleged culture of harassment and discrimination.
With Brack out, EVP of development Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra, EVP and GM of platform and technology, have been appointed co-leaders of Blizzard. “With their many years of industry experience and deep commitment to integrity and inclusivity, I am certain Jen and Mike will lead Blizzard with care, compassion and a dedication to excellence,” Alegre wrote.
Brack, former executive producer of “World of Warcraft,” took over as president of Blizzard after co-founder Michael Morhaime left the company in 2018. Brack had joined Blizzard in January 2006 after working on “Star Wars Galaxies” at Sony Online Entertainment.
In a statement provided by Blizzard, Brack said: “I am confident that Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra will provide the leadership Blizzard needs to realize its full potential and will accelerate the pace of change. I anticipate they will do so with passion and enthusiasm and that they can be trusted to lead with the highest levels of integrity and commitment to the components of our culture that make Blizzard so special.”
J. Allen Brack, the President of Warcraft and Overwatch studio Blizzard Entertainment, is leaving his position less than two weeks after an investigation by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing made public explosive allegations of harassment and discrimination within the company.
Blizzard studio leader J. Allen Brack has stepped down after being named in a lawsuit over sexual discrimination and harassment.
Blizzard president J. Allen Brack is out at Blizzard, two weeks after being named in an explosive lawsuit by the state of California involving misconduct at the company.Why it matters: This is the most concrete reaction Activision Blizzard management has taken since the scandal broke and one taken in advance of executives taking live calls from analysts later today.Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.As one of the heads of Activision Blizzard's three gaming
(Bloomberg) -- Kiyoshi Matsuura was so worried about growing old that he started using an anti-baldness treatment as a teenager.It was an obsession that went on to define his life. The Japanese entrepreneur continued to experiment with various supplements and other products, and founded his own company dedicated to fighting the ravages of time about 12 years ago.Premier Anti-Aging Co. went public in Tokyo in October and quickly became one of Japan’s best-performing stocks. It’s more than tripled
With the recent rise of the Delta variant, many major American companies are now requiring full-time employees to get vaccinated before returning to the office. In the past few weeks, more companies have announced plans to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for employees who are working at in-person offices. The government-run U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has stated it is legal under federal law for companies to require their workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine, with a few exceptions related to other health complications, pregnancy and religious beliefs.
(Bloomberg) -- Tencent Holdings Ltd. led a stocks rout after Chinese state media decried the “spiritual opium” of games, prompting the company to broach a ban for kids and triggering fears Beijing will set its sights next on the world’s largest gaming arena.China’s most valuable corporation fell as much as 11% after an outlet run by the Xinhua News Agency published a blistering critique of their industry. The Economic Information Daily cited a student as saying some schoolmates played Tencent’s
Equinox announced today that it will soon start requiring proof of vaccination from customers looking to break a sweat at its chain of upscale gyms or at its cult-favorite spin-class subsidiary, SoulCycle. The news follows a number of other American businesses that are also asking patrons to show they’ve had the jab, including restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, Broadway theaters, and a number of other bars and restaurants. Companies that go a step further and require proof of vaccination from customers are clearly aware that they may lose business as a result—and they’re all right with that.”If you really want to go unvaccinated, you can dine somewhere else, and you can also go work somewhere else,” Meyer told CNN last week.
Take-Two Interactive beat estimates on the top and bottom line for Q1 2022, but missed on guidance for Q2.
Production of the Acura NSX is coming to an end after the 2022 model year. Before it goes, though, Acura is promising one last hurrah, in the form of a Type S variant. Said to have performance improvements and limited production, it will prove to be the ultimate form of Honda's second-generation supercar.
Officials are reminding consumers that the window is closing on plans with $0 premiums.
J. Allen Brack was named in the suit as a higher-up who was allegedly aware of the harassment taking place
Experts tell MarketWatch that the average crypto investor who uses a centralized exchange like Coinbase COIN or Kraken to buy and sell crypto assets should expect the IRS to know exactly how much money they made on those transactions, if the bill becomes law.
Many lenders had been passing the fee onto borrowers in the form of higher rates.
Google, Facebook and the Washington Post recently announced they’re requiring their workers to be vaccinated.
Square will buy Afterpay for $29 billion, taking on Visa in the "pay later" market. It reported mixed earnings.
(CLX) stock was tumbling after the company’s earnings fell far short of analyst expectations. Clorox reported a fiscal fourth-quarter adjusted profit of 95 cents a share, missing analyst forecasts for $1.36 a share, on sales of $1.8 billion, below expectations for $1.92 billion. It said it would earn between $540 and $5.70 in fiscal 2022, well below analyst forecasts for $7.67.
Anthropologie’s summer-ready dresses have been a staple in the plus-size fashion community since the introduction of its extended range back in March of 2019. The retailer is on a shortlist of stores that do clothes for fat people right, with sizes ranging from 14W-26W and 1-3X. The extensive range of options includes dresses worthy of just about any warm-weather occasion — from weddings to picnics or just lounging around the house. With this many stunning options to choose from, it can be hard
Australian stocks jumped to a record close on Monday, with buy-now, pay-later giant Afterpay leading the charge.
Grand Theft Auto Online is an old game, being released all the way back on Xbox 360 and PS3 in the year 2013. Since then, many people (myself included) have continued to play GTA Online and after nearly a decade of hanging out in the same virtual world, I and others have mostly memorized the map. That’s not super useful outside of GTA Online, until now! Thanks to GTA Geo Guesser I can use my worthless knowledge of GTA V’s map in a different game. The future isn’t all bad.
Panthers safety JT Ibe was kicked out of practice Tuesday for his violent hit to the head of a defenseless receiver.
03 August, 2021 - 07:55am
J. Allen Brack will be replaced by Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra as co-heads.
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick promised a rapid response. Today Blizzard has announced that J. Allen Brack is leaving his position as the president of the studio, to be replaced by Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra as co-heads of the studio.
Jen Oneal has been at Blizzard since January, before which she was the studio head of Vicarious Visions. Mike Ybarra was a longtime Xbox employee, holding various positions there, before joining Blizzard in 2019 as an executive vice president. Blizzard's statement says: "Jen and Mike have more than three decades of gaming industry experience between them. Moving forward, they will share responsibilities over game development and company operations."
Brack had been named in the California lawsuit, specifically concerning how he'd dealt with allegations made against Alex Afrasiabi drinking too much and harassing female employees at company events. It's alleged Brack's punishment for Afrasiabi, verbal counseling, amounted to little more than a slap on the wrist for such behaviour.
Today's statement from Blizzard goes on to make explicit that this change is related to working culture:
"Both leaders are deeply committed to all of our employees; to the work ahead to ensure Blizzard is the safest, most welcoming workplace possible for women, and people of any gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or background; to upholding and reinforcing our values; and to rebuilding your trust. With their many years of industry experience and deep commitment to integrity and inclusivity, Jen and Mike will lead Blizzard with care, compassion, and a dedication to excellence."
As journalist and former Kotaku EIC Stephen Totilo pointed out, the timing of this seems tied to a quarterly earnings call today on which Brack would have been expected to field questions.
Timing tracks. Activision Blizzard reports quarterly earnings today and, if they do it as they always do, will take live calls from analysts. Brack, as head of Blizzard, usually is on those calls. https://t.co/L1dVX93CKMAugust 3, 2021
Here is a statement from J. Allen Brack, Blizzard's departing president:
"I am confident that Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra will provide the leadership Blizzard needs to realize its full potential and will accelerate the pace of change. I anticipate they will do so with passion and enthusiasm and that they can be trusted to lead with the highest levels of integrity and commitment to the components of our culture that make Blizzard so special.
"Finally, thank you all for being a part of the Blizzard community, and for your passion and determination for safety and equality for all."
The discrimination lawsuit is just the latest in a long string of controversies involving Blizzard's management in recent times (here's a timeline of how the company's reputation has collapsed over the last three years). Between massive layoffs, numerous reports on its toxic workplace, and highly anticipated launches reportedly sabotaged by mismanagement, the perception of what used to be PC gaming's darling developer has changed utterly.
The Californian state's proceedings against Blizzard are still pending, and could last for months or years: here's everything we know about the current situation.
Thank you for signing up to PC Gamer. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
© Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10036.
03 August, 2021 - 07:37am
Brack’s departure follows a California lawsuit against Activision Blizzard
Oneal previously acted as executive vice president of development, while Ybarra led platform and technology at the company. Oneal also previously led Vicarious Visions, which Blizzard acquired in January. Ybarra was previously at Microsoft, serving as corporate vice president for Xbox Live and Xbox Game Pass. He joined Blizzard in 2019.
“Both leaders are deeply committed to all of our employees; to the work ahead to ensure Blizzard is the safest, most welcoming workplace possible for women, and people of any gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or background; to upholding and reinforcing our values; and to rebuilding your trust,” a Blizzard spokesperson said in a statement. “With their many years of industry experience and deep commitment to integrity and inclusivity, Jen and Mike will lead Blizzard with care, compassion, and a dedication to excellence. You’ll hear more from Jen and Mike soon.”
Brack issued a statement published on the Blizzard website:
I am confident that Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra will provide the leadership Blizzard needs to realize its full potential and will accelerate the pace of change. I anticipate they will do so with passion and enthusiasm and that they can be trusted to lead with the highest levels of integrity and commitment to the components of our culture that make Blizzard so special.
Brack’s departure from the studio comes not long after its parent company, Activision Blizzard, was sued by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) for creating a “frat boy culture” that allowed gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment to proliferate. The lawsuit alleges that Brack knew about the behavior because he had received complaints directly, and that he did little to stop it beyond disciplinary actions that amounted to “a slap on the wrist.”
A 15-year Blizzard veteran, Brack had been the company’s president since October 2018, when then-president and -CEO Mike Morhaime decided to step down and pass the baton to him. Prior to his ascension to studio head, Brack served for many years as a leader of the World of Warcraft development team. Morhaime, who co-founded Blizzard in 1991, described Brack at the time of his promotion as “an inspiring leader who has shown unwavering commitment to Blizzard’s community.”
Immediately following the lawsuit, Activision Blizzard made an official statement in which it said the lawsuit included “distorted, and in many cases false, descriptions of Blizzard’s past.” Internally, various executives published statements; Brack, in one of these letters, called the allegations “extremely troubling.”
Activision Blizzard executive and former George W. Bush homeland security adviser Frances Townsend called the lawsuit “truly meritless and irresponsible” in a statement that’s since been criticized by current and former staff. Thousands of Activision Blizzard employees signed a letter asking for Townsend to step down as the executive sponsor of the women’s network. Following the letter, Activision Blizzard employees in California and elsewhere walked out of work in protest of leadership response.
Townsend later tweeted about “The Problem with Whistleblowing,” a story published in The Atlantic in July. The curious timing for the tweet — immediately following major whistleblowing at Activision Blizzard — did not sit well with current and former employees, who responded in turn with criticism. Townsend reportedly began blocking current employees speaking out against her.
Every quest and map, collectible, and side quest


text:
updated 05:27 pm EDT, Wed September 12, 2012
Journalist aimed to build iPhone 5
Life and work within Foxconn's Tai Yuan factory have been revealed by a Shanghai Evening Post journalist working undercover as an employee. The reporter initially aimed to provide a close look at iPhone 5 production, however his 10-day stint also painted a broader picture of daily life for thousands of workers employed by the Taiwanese electronics manufacturer.
Hinting at screening processes designed to weed out potential applicants predisposed to suicide, Foxconn's human resources department reportedly asked the journalist a range of mentality questions such as "Have you got into a state of mental trance recently?" All windows in the dormitory were protected by bars, though the staff avoided speaking in length when answering questions about suicides.
Despite efforts by such companies to promote their factories as humane and focused on acceptable working conditions, the journalist describes employee dormitories stinking of rancid garbage piled on the floor and infested with a "swarm of cockroaches." Management allegedly asked all of the new recruits to answer "no" to all questions on a safety survey of "possible harmful effects that may cause to worker during production."
On the first day of work on the factory floor, instructors are said to have told the trainees they "only need to obey instructions" and "might feel uncomfortable, but this is all for your own good." When a new worker was found to be taking an unauthorized break, a supervisor reportedly demanded that he stand in a corner for 10 minutes as a punishment.
When the journalist was finally tasked with helping produce the iPhone 5, the separate production floor was protected with additional security measures. Any worker who sets off a metal detector on the way out of the "top security area" is allegedly fired immediately.
A separate report recently claimed that students were being "forced" to participate in iPhone 5 production as part of their internships, where they worked 12-hour shifts for six days a week and less than $250 in monthly wages. Despite ongoing reports of employee mistreatment, Apple is rumored to be subsidizing pay increases and a recent Fair Labor Association report points to ongoing improvements. [via M.I.C gadget]


text:
GCash, the country’s leading mobile wallet, has barred over 900,000 users suspected of fraud from January to March this year through its joint efforts with authorities as it ramps up app security and fraud management to better protect customers.
GCash is working with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in its crackdown against fraudsters to fight online scam.
With its #GCheckMuna campaign, GCash customers are empowered to protect themselves and become more vigilant in the face of fraud.
“GCash has been providing invaluable service to Filipinos, especially during the pandemic. It is crucial that we work together to protect the platform against fraud. As we continue to bolster our security system, we are also counting on the support of our customers and ask that they be vigilant against online scam,” said GCash President and CEO Martha Sazon.
GCash’s GCheck has the following tips to protect accounts:
Tip 1: Never share your MPIN or one-time password (OTP). Scammers often pose as a GCash representative or a friend to trick you into giving your OTP. Remember that your MPIN or OTP are only for you.
Tip 2: Only do GCash-related activity inside the app. Some scammers use similar-looking phishing sites to ask customers to verify or log-in. Beware of this scamming scheme! When asked to verify or log-in, only do so on the GCash app.
Tip 3: Be careful who you transact with. Before making any online transaction, be sure to research and read reviews on the product you’re buying and who you’re buying it from.
Tip 4: Only go to official GCash channels. For all concerns, go to the GCash Help Center (help.gcash.com). For your safety, never post your inquiries on social media. GCash will never send any personal message to address concerns.
GCash also encourages users to report fraud through Chat with Gigi, the newest beta chatbot. Reported fake pages are taken down within 24 hours.
To make sure that cybercriminals are monitored, caught and apprehended, GCash also works closely with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-Cybercrime Division and the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG) in preventing scams and other illegal activities and apprehending any guilty parties. Likewise, GCash also ensures strict compliance with the guidance of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Anti-Money Laundering Council to ensure the safety and security of customers.
For fraud concerns, visit the Help Center at help.gcash.com.
To know more, visit www.gcash.com.


text:
Apple's webstore could be up and running in 5 months as India eases FDI norms
- India’s new FDI regulations will now allow Apple to set up its own online shop before having a brick-and-mortar store in place.
- The webstore is likely to come up within the next three to five months.
- Apple’s plans for its signature Apple Store are also green lit with the new FDI rules including exports and contract manufacturing as local sourcing.
Finally, Indian Minister of Commerce Piyush Goel has eased the sourcing norms of single brand retailing, which now allows foreign brands to sell online without a brick-and-mortar presence.
This is good news for Apple which hasn’t been able to sell its full range of products online because it doesn’t yet have its signature ‘ Apple Stores’ here.
"We love our customers in India and we're eager to serve them online and in-store with the same experience and care that Apple customers around the world enjoy," Apple told IANS.
Setting up a webstore will allow the company to sell its products directly and offer up its full range of products — from iPhones to MacBooks and iPads.
"It will take us some time to get our plans underway and we'll have more to announce at a future date," Apple noted.
And users might not have to wait very long. An indian
The tussle between online and offline sales
Until now, Apple had to rely on Amazon India, Flipkart, Paytm Mall and other third party sellers to sell online. These e-commerce portals were offering Apple products at heavy discounts to boost sales — something that executives felt wasn’t quite ‘ on brand’ for Apple.
With FDI norms eased, Apple will be able to exercise full control of its products and pricing in a market, which it was directly kept away from.
Until now, the government had a rule which said said single-brand retailers will have to source 30% of materials locally, to have a physical presence.
Since most of its manufacturing is already contracted, Apple could not meet the norm to open its signature ‘Apple Stores’ offline. Without an offline store, it couldn’t launch an online store, sucking it into a vicious cycle.
Winds of change
For years, Apple has been lobbying with the government to relax the FDI norms.
The Indian government, which is looking to boost its economy and investments, has now expanded the definition of 30% local sourcing to contract manufacturing and exports as well.
While this will boost Apple’s prospects in the country, the US tech giant had already been planning on meeting the earlier norms in order to open its ‘Apple Store’ in Mumbai. But now, we could see many more stores, and many more products online; allowing it to compete in Indian premium market better.
A short trip to India showed me just how badly Apple is screwing up in the world's biggest democracy
Apple iPhone mass production is shifting from China to India — solving a key problem for the company
OnePlus smartphone sales in India are nearly double that of Apple and Samsung


text:
Luxury men’s fashion has often been treated like a sidekick to womenswear. It’s relegated to off-site venues in New York City during Fashion Week or tacked on as a day or two at the end of the women’s European season. It’s afforded less mainstream press than its sister industry. Even within the fashion press, the media have often enjoyed chuckling over outlandish runway creations that would pass without comment at the womenswear shows.
But in recent years, menswear has shown more mettle. First came whispers that sales were rising, along with a major report from consultancy Bain & Co. revealing that the luxury menswear market was growing at almost double the speed of womenswear — 14 percent per year, thanks to increasing sales in Asia. In turn, London Collections: Men (LC:M) — three days of menswear shows, expanded from what was previously called “men’s day’ and tacked onto the end of London Fashion Week — has gone from a nervous start-up to a major calendar event in just three seasons. International buyer attendance was up 55 percent at the recent SS14 shows compared to the previous season, according to the British Fashion Council. Bigger labels are opening menswear-only flagship stores: Ralph Lauren’s new three-floor men’s flagship in Hong Kong has wood-paneled staircases and a complimentary bar; Dolce & Gabbana has chosen a location on London’s New Bond Street and decorated it like an ostentatious bachelor pad; in Milan, Gucci has a new flashy, art-deco-inspired men’s store with VIP made-to-measure facilities. And even the younger brands showing at LC:M report that business is flourishing: E.Tautz director Patrick Grant, for instance, told Business of Fashion that his label’s international sales have almost tripled in the last year.
“Men often shopped in the past when they needed to replace something,” says Tom Kalenderian, executive vice-president of menswear at Barneys, adding that men’s shopping attitudes have shifted from the functional to the impulsive. (He reports that recent designer menswear sales at Barneys have grown “double-digit.”) “Today they’re avid collectors, owning more than one watch, pair of sunglasses, bag, and so on. The pursuit of new and exclusive items has fueled growth.”
But what, exactly, do these men seek out? “For most men, clothing used to be a uniform of acceptance. Today, it's about an individual statement of creativity,” Tom Chapman, an owner at the rising international retailer Matchesfashion.com — where menswear sales rose 200 percent in the last year — told me between shows at LC:M in June. “Twenty years ago, when I used to work on the floor selling Versace printed shirts for £900, it was a challenge to persuade the customer that they wouldn’t feel like a fool wearing it. Now people are so much more connected to what's happening with product. There’s an extra level of confidence there.” He credits the change of mood to social media. Our relentless exposure to the industry through sites like Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter has made fashion less daunting and more inclusive.
During a recent round of showroom visits in Paris, Chapman’s buying team tells me that in womenswear, there are far more extremely wealthy customers who will buy into edgy brands like Christopher Kane. “You have that woman who’s willing to pay top-level price to have the newest, latest cool designer,” observes Damien Paul, the head buyer. Men with bigger budgets traditionally play it safer, shopping from established luxury brands. The more experimental labels are usually shopped by a different type of guy: the man who watches runway shows online and treats his wardrobe like a treasured library. For this fashion connoisseur who isn’t necessarily affluent, price points need to be lower — certainly in the hundreds rather than the thousands. At one showroom, Paul is frustrated by an expensive, experimental piece by a talented designer who is new to menswear. “I love it, but we can’t sell it at that price to the young, cool fashion guy who will want it.”
When it comes to selling the products, men also respond more than women to detailed brand information, history, and the technology that goes into making a product. “It's a much geekier approach,” Chapman adds. “As a man, if I’m being told about a jacket, I want to know the way it's sewn and constructed.”
Toby Bateman, who will be buying for MrPorter.com this week, agrees. “Men are initially more cautious buyers than women, and will ask more questions. They want to make an informed decision,” he explains. “Once a man likes your website or brand, however, he’s very loyal.” For a retailer this is both good news and a challenge; they may keep a customer for life, but persuading him to try new things — the sort of looks we might see on the runway this week — is difficult.
This is one reason why editorial content is so crucial — those online or print magazines published by retailers including MrPorter.com (The Journal), Oak (Oakazine), and Matchesfashion.com (The Style Report). Both Kalenderian and Chapman tell me that men are more likely than women to engage with editorial content and personalized recommendations. This also explains why Shopbop, the Amazon subsidiary known best for pioneering editorial commerce in online retail, launched their own men’s site, East Dane, this week.
At Matchesfashion.com, analytics show that men even dwell on articles that aren’t related to fashion; travel and music both get a great response. “Good content is crucial for us. If you can build a relationship with a customer where he comes to you three times a week to read something interesting, then when he’s ready to shop, he’ll come straight back,” says Paul.
Editorial, like social media, can also make guys increasingly aware of what aspirational luxury lovers are already wearing. “Music is a key influence for men. If you love Kanye West, you could be wearing Givenchy,” says Paul. It’s another way in which the luxury menswear landscape has expanded: “Now we see 22-year-old guys wearing Givenchy T-shirts, even if they have to save up for six weeks to get them.” It’s the buyers’ job to predict what that guy will be saving up for next.
Most Viewed Stories
‘Weed Dick’ Is the New Way for Men to Sexually Disappoint You
Portraits of Privilege: A Teen Demands Mac ’n’ Cheese
How to Get Out of Any Party Conversation
The Big Secret of Every Dating App: Tech Doesn’t Matter
Amber Rose, Populist Slut Hero of Our Time
7 Alternatives to Those Sold-Out L.L. Bean Boots
Staving Off Cynicism at Comme des Garçons, McQueen, and Céline
Adriana Lima on Boxing, Brazilian Beauty Secrets
Why Do I Jerk Awake Right As I’m Falling Asleep?
From Our Partners
20 Simple Secrets to Your Most Beautiful Life
11 Struggles Every Girl With Glasses Will Understand
Boobs Over Belly Buttons Brilliantly Shuts Down Body Shaming
The Art of Loving and Losing Female Friends
powered by PubExchange
The Cut’s Latest Fashion FeaturesWatch the Louis Vuitton Livestream
Enjoy!Libertine’s Designer Once Faked a Note From Cher
And other anecdotes from his new book.See All the Street Style From Paris Fashion Week
Rihanna, Salma Hayek, and Phoebe Philo were among the peacocks.Karl Lagerfeld Won’t Offer Himself Up to Science
He says researchers have approached him about testing his DNA.Staving Off Cynicism at Comme des Garçons, McQueen, and Céline
A counterpoint to luxury-mongering.Cate Blanchett Wore a Hot-Pink Suit
Barbie, is that you?All About Chanel’s Airport-Themed Show
Paging Mr. Lagerfeld!Watch the Valentino Livestream
Enjoy!5 Things I Want to Wear From Paris: Part 3
Stripes, embroidered separates, and Céline studded boots.Cindy Crawford on Bagels, Instagirls, and Bringing the Supermodel Era to TV
And how she's helping her daughter navigate the pressures of the modeling industry.
Dreamy.See Our Exclusive Portfolio From Paris Fashion Week
Another fashion month dispatch from photographer Tomasz Lazar.Coddington, Kawakubo Star in Interview Portfolio
They were photographed for a sweeping 60-page section by Fabien Baron.American Apparel Files for Bankruptcy
Current shareholders, including Dov Charney, will no longer control the company.The Retired Modeling Agent Who Loves Empire
“I started my own agency — we represented Twiggy — but went off to be assistant to the actor Yul Brynner, who was dating my roommate at the time.”Bright Coats for Cold Days
New York women in winter's least-boring outerwear, from bright-green alpaca fur to leopard-print mohair.Céline’s Woman-Friendly Triumph
Phoebe Philo remains in touch with what women want to wear.Watch the Alexander McQueen Livestream
Enjoy!Watch the Akris Livestream
Enjoy!From Up Close, Raf Simons’s Vision for Dior Is Clear
And don't count John Galliano out at Margiela yet.


text:
Roorkee: IIT Roorkee has developed a low-cost portable ventilator that can be useful to ensure the survival of COVID-19 patients. Named as ‘Prana-Vayu,’ the closed-loop ventilator is developed in collaboration with AIIMS,
The research team from IIT Roorkee included Prof. Akshay Dvivedi and Prof. Arup Kumar Das with online support from Dr. Debendra Tripathi from AIIMS Rishikesh. They teamed up only a week back by remote communication to develop a quick time technology to help the distressed in the situation of COVID-19. The research development on the ventilator started during the lockdown period necessitating the development of many parts like microprocessor-controlled non-return valves, solenoid valves, one-way valve, etc. using the facilities of Tinkering Laboratory, IIT
“Prana-Vayu has been designed especially for COVID-19 pandemic. It is low-cost, safe, reliable, and can be quickly manufactured. We have successfully achieved the ventilatory requirement on a test lung, and it can be used for both infants and even overweight adults,” said Prof. Akshay Dvivedi, Coordinator, Tinkering Laboratory, IIT Roorkee. “Our commercial product will be of approximate dimensions of 1.5 feet × 1.5 feet for effective portability,” he added.
“Today ‘Prana-Vayu’ was presented to more than 450 industries in a webinar organized by CII. I am happy to share that we have received interest from multiple industries for its mass production. We are committed to augmenting the efforts of the government in tackling the pandemic. This low-cost ventilator will be highly useful for COVID-19 patients, especially when there is a shortage of ventilators.” said Prof. Ajit K Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Roorkee.


text:
The move, which indicates that Steve Jobs is moving away from his “exclusive deals” and locked in contracts with resellers, will mean that all six models of the iPad will be sold to authorised resellers across the US.
Apple has refused to hand over the gear to resellers because it has been worried about the iPad’s image. It fears that if resellers get their paws on it they will try and sell it in a somewhat seedy way.
Online resellers have been only able to sell the iPad only over the phone, as Apple has not yet allowed online buys.
But Steve Jobs’ control freak attitude to the “super, cool and magical” gadget is driving resellers mad.
According to Apple Insider, the slightest changes to promotional graphics on their website to be approved is a process that those people say has been tedious and frustrating.
Best Buy is set to expand sales of the iPad to all of its American retail stores.
Rumours are circulating that the iPad is to go on sale at Target in the coming weeks.
Apple’s reluctance to get its gadget into the shops has caused many analysts to scratch their heads. Expansion of the iPad to more retail outlets is expected to increase Apple’s sales of the device significantly.
Quite why no one at Apple pointed out that Jobs’ obsessive control of the advertising was costing it sales is anyone’s guess.


text:
Verizon announces iPhone pricing
NEW YORK — Verizon Wireless on Wednesday revealed details of how much it will charge iPhone users for voice, text and data service and said that it would begin accepting preorders on Thursday.
Verizon said a basic voice plan including 450 minutes per month will cost $40.
A voice and text plan including unlimited text messages will start at $60 per month. A separate data plan for getting e-mail and the Web will cost $30 per month. That's the same price Verizon charges customers for surfing the Web on other smartphones.
Verizon said that customers will also be able to use the iPhone as a Wi-Fi hotspot for an extra $20 per month — a feature AT&T does not offer iPhone users.
Like Verizon, AT&T sells a $40 voice plan that includes 450 minutes. But its $60 voice plan does not include unlimited text messages.
And whereas Verizon's $30 data plan includes unlimited data usage, AT&T's $25 plan allows subscribers to consume up to 2GB per month — enough, the company says, to stream music, watch videos and use potentially bandwidth-hogging applications.
AT&T also offers a data plan that costs $15 a month, but because it caps data usage at 200MB a month.
In a twist, Verizon is setting aside a limited number of iPhones for existing customers, and will not accept preorders from people who aren't already Verizon subscribers. It will begin taking preorders at 3 a.m. today.
Like AT&T, Verizon will charge either $200 or $300 for the phone itself — with a two-year contract — depending on whether shoppers choose 16GB or 32GB of memory in the phone.


text:
The popular yet sometimes controversial fast food chain Chick-fil-A is planning a big expansion into New York City, where its only current location is on the NYU campus, its executives told USA Today in a piece published Monday.
"If we can't do it in New York, we have no business going anywhere else," said Woody Faulk, the chain's vice president of design and innovation in the article.
Chick-fil-A plans to open 108 new restaurants this year, including a "good chunk" in New York, Faulk told the newspaper. It's part of a top-to-bottom shift within the iconic chain, including efforts to put more healthy food on the menu, become less political and be more transparent with its food preparation and experimentation.
For eaters in the industrial northeast, Chick-fil-A may be best known for its conservative politics, namely CEO Dan Cathy's opposition to gay marriage. But in the USA Today interview, Cathy said he'll "leave it to politicians and others to discuss social issues."
For eaters everywhere else, the chain is nothing short of a phenomenon. Despite being closed Sundays, a typical Chick-fil-A location did $3.3 million in revenue last year, compared to $2.5 million for the typical McDonald's franchise, according to USA Today.
But big cities is the next front for growth, and that means new store designs, menus and marketing. "The next big thing is urbanization," Cathy told the newspaper. "That's where the future is heading."


text:
Three teenagers from London, Muaz Nawaz (13), Daanyaal Ali (14), and Chirag Shah (14) from London’s Isaac Newton academy have designed a condom that will help to combat the rising number of STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections).
Called S.T.Eye, the condom uses a built-in layer of molecules that glow when they come in contact with certain bacteria and viruses.
Daanyaal said, “We wanted to create something that makes detecting harmful STIs safer than ever before, so that people can take immediate action in the privacy of their own homes without the invasive procedures at the doctors.”
They displayed their design at the TeenTech Awards and won the first prize in the health category, winning £1,000 for their school.
Other ideas at the Teen Tech Awards included a Wi-Fi hair clip that changes color to match the clothing and a panic bracelet that alerts emergency services. The condoms will not be available in the market as yet because they’re “not a finalized design”.
The condoms glow green for chlamydia, yellow for herpes, purple for genital warts and blue for syphilis. They have already created quite a stir in the design stage itself.


text:
Bitcoin and cryptocurrency markets are in turmoil tonight after the disappointing launch of the hotly-anticipated Bakkt crypto platform.
The bitcoin price shed 15% of its value this week, with some of its biggest rivals including ethereum, Ripple's XRP, litecoin, and bitcoin cash, recording losses as high as 22% as investors balked at Bakkt's low bitcoin trading volume.
Now, new research has warned of a "striking systematic trend" in bitcoin price movements, with bitcoin falling far further than average ahead of CME's bitcoin futures contracts being settled each month.
Bitcoin has dropped on average 2.27% towards settlement each month, compared to an average fall of just 0.06% on a random day over the same period, bitcoin and cryptocurrency analysts at Arcane Research found.
Adjusting for "large outliers," researchers found the average price movement up 0.04%, while for the period before CME bitcoin futures contracts are settled the price falls by 1.99% on average.
"Statistically, it is highly unlikely that the price falls in advance of CME settlement should be caused by mere coincidence," Arcane's Bendik Norheim Schei wrote.
"The figures thus support a hypothesis that the bitcoin price is manipulated in advance of CME settlement. However, the figures do not say anything about deliberate manipulation or, for example, only a result of investors’ strategy of hedging," Schei added, acknowledging "other factors" could "potentially explain the pattern, or show that it is even stronger," and calling for further analysis.
CME, a Chicago-based financial markets company, began offering bitcoin contracts at the peak of bitcoin-mania in December 2017, to much fanfare.
CME’s bitcoin futures settle in cash, unlike the new "physically" settled bitcoin futures traded on Bakkt, which has led to accusations traders are playing the system by betting against the bitcoin price with these futures contracts, a practise known as shorting.
"These futures contracts are optimal for manipulation. They are settled in dollars and not in bitcoin. The price for the settlement is determined by the bitcoin price in the underlying market. Thus, it is never actual bitcoin that change hands, and it is just an overlying market traded in dollars," Schei explained.
Some bitcoin and crypto market watchers are hoping Bakkt's bitcoin futures will gain popularity and steer investors away from cashed settled contracts.
However, with only 72 bitcoin traded on Bakkt on its first day, compared to several thousand traded daily on CME, there's a long way to go.


text:
With Congress seemingly poised to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp for many uses, including the production of biomass for CBD oil extraction, many questions remain unanswered. How will the DEA reschedule CBD now that Epidiolex has been approvedÂ as a pharmaceutical CBD isolate? To what extent will the FDA reguate hemp-derived CBD? What policies should be implemented to ensure wide and easy access to high quality, lab-verified CBD-richÂ products?
Project CBD encourages consumers to seek out products made from the unfertilized female flower tops of high-resin CBD-rich cannabis (sometimes referred to as marijuana), which is much better suited for medicinal oil extraction than low-resin fiber hemp or industrial hemp grown for seed oil andÂ protein.
Currently, the most prolific source of cannabidiol is high-resin CBD-rich cannabis that slightly exceeds 0.3% THC, so technically it doesnâ€™t qualify as industrial hemp. The 2014 Farm Bill defines hemp as cannabis with no more than 0.3% THC in any part of the plant; if the THC level tops 0.3%, itâ€™s considered to be marijuana under federalÂ law.
The debate over sourcing CBD from marijuana rather than hemp is quickly becoming moot, as plant breeders focus on developing high-resin cannabis varietals that satisfy the Farm Billâ€™s criteria for industrial hemp â€“ with CBD levels exceeding 10% by dry weight and THC measuring less than 0.3%. If grown, extracted, and processed well, such plants qualify as decent starter material for producing CBD-rich oilÂ concentrates.
As for those who donâ€™t live in a state or country with a robust medical marijuana or adult use program, they can access CBD products via online storefronts or, in some states, actual storefronts. But choosing among the many unregulated CBD brands â€“ which â€śtypically have less manufacturing oversight than kitty litter,â€ť as one industry insider put it â€“ can beÂ problematic.
Many hemp-derived CBD products are mislabeled. A study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicated that 69% of 85 products surveyed had an incorrect amount of CBD and/or THC on the productÂ label.
Another survey found significant discrepancies among some of the leading hemp-derived CBD brands that falsely claim full-spectrum CBD-rich oil is in their products; lab tests of several samples revealed only one cannabinoid â€“ CBD â€“ was present, indicating that these products were made with a CBD isolate rather than a more efficacious whole plant CBD-richÂ extract.
Another problem: Some overly processed hemp-derived CBD products are tainted with toxic solvent residues, corn syrup, artificial flavors and colors, and otherÂ contaminants.
But good quality CBD-rich products are also available. Which products deserve ourÂ trust?
Here are some tips when shopping for hemp-derived CBD: